Self-cancelling automobile directional signal switch



April 20, 1954 w. c. AUGENSTEIN 7 SELF-CANCELLING AUTOMOBILE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL SWITCH Filed May 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l m 4 I j 5 IIIIIIIIIIIII Z3 2 la I W, x x W? ,7 30 a /o 9 27 r Z8 Z8 I /7 i 75 V i. INVENTOR.

' M'Iham Carl 0 ME; W

April 20, 1954 w. c. AUGENSTEIN SELF-CANCELLING AUTQMOBILE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1951 INVENTOR.

William Carl Ou enslein Figure 6 is a reduced fragmentary bottom plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 7 is an enlarged bottom view of the switch mounting strap in place;

Figure 8 is a simplified sectional view of the contact actuator of the direction switch of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a broken apart perspective view of the direction contact making mechanism of the switch of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing an alternate construction; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along the 4 onto a vehicle the two screws ID are loosened to permit free sliding of the bracket with respect to the switch housing assembly, the bracket is then strapped to the steering column 2 of the automobile, the switch housing assembly is then moved toward the steering wheel to force the rubber tired wheel 2| into driven engagement with the hub 5, and the screws I are then tightline of Figure and looking in thedirection of the arrows, said view being taken with the switch actuating lever in itsneu-tral position.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout.

The directional indicating switch of the present invention is indicated in general by the reference numeral l, the switch being shown as secured to the outer stationary sleeve 2 of the steering column of a conventional automobile of automobile truck. The steering column houses a usual rotatable steering shaft 3 on which is mounted the usual automobile steering wheel 4 that is turned by the hands of the driver to control the course of the automobile. The steering wheel 4 has the usual hub 5. The switch I includes a two-piece housingt and an L-shaped mounting bracket 8 that extends from the base of the switch housing and has an arm 9 at right angles to the portion of the bracket secured to the switch housing, the bracket being mounted on the base of the switch housing by screws It that extend through elongated slots II in the bracket and are threaded into suitable bosses in the housing, as will more fully appear as this description proceeds. The slots ll permit adjustment of the switch housing with respect to the bracket. The arm 9 of the bracket is curved to extend along the curve of the sleeve 2, as may be seen from Figure 7. The arm 9 has an ear |2 integral therewith and projecting at right angles therefrom. The bracket is secured to the steering column sleeve 2 by a flexible metal strap l3. The strap I3 has a series of spaced rectangular slots M at one end thereof and an ear l5 at the opposite end. One of the slots I4 is slipped over the ear l2, and the strap is then wound around the steering column sleeve 2, the

half I8.

ened to maintain this engagement.

A conventional signal light controlling switch 26 having a cover plate 21 secured thereto is mounted in the lower housing I! by means of the plate 21 which rests on bosses 28 formed integrally with the lower housing and is secured to the bosses by screws 3030 (Figs. 2 and 5). A cable 3| extends into the switch housing ll through an enlarged hole in the bracket 8 and through an opening in the lower switch housing. The switch 26 is connected by the conductors of the cable 3| to the tail lights of the automobile through a circuit interrupter of the flasher type (not shown), as is conventional. The switch has a switch actuating pin 33 which projects through a slot 34 in the plate and is maintained centered by the centering spring 35. The pin is movable in the slot to the right or to the left of its centered position to control each of the two contact carrying insulator blocks 35-31 that complete circuits that control the right and left tail lights of the automobile over the conventional "circuits. The blocks are slidable in the casing and are spread apart by the spring 35. The pin 33, through a slide'plate38 to which it is connected can move either block 36 or 31 towards the other block. When the actuating pin 33 is moved upwardly (as seen in Fig. 2) the right parking light of the vehicle is connected to the interrupter. When the pin 33 is moved from its neutral position downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, the switch 26 connects the left tail light and the left parking light to the interrupter to indicate a left turn of the vehicle.

A manually operable switching arm 40 is mounted pivotally on a pin 4| held in aligned opposed sockets42 and 43 formed in the two housing halves, respectively, and extends through 4 an overwideopening 44 in the upper housing The two housing halves are secured by 1 a single screw 48 projecting through a boss 41 particular slot l4 chosen being theme that will bring the ear it almost but not quite up to the ear I2. A screw I6 is then passed through a hole in the ear l5 and threaded into a threaded hole into the ear |2 to draw the ears |2--|5 towards one another and thereby to tighten the strap around the sleeve 2 of the steering colulmn and thereby to secure the bracket to the sleeve in the position in which it has been placed.

The switch housing 6 includes a lowerhalf housing I! and an upper half housing l8 that serves as a closure for the lower half housing.

Sockets is are formed in a boss on the lowerhousing into which the screws H] are threaded to secure the housing and the bracket 8 together. A rubber tired wheel 2| is mounted rotatably on a flanged rivet 22 which is mounted on a wall portion 23 of the lower housing l1 and consti tuting an axle forthe wheel 2|. The wheel 2| is held in frictional engagement with the hub 5 of the automobile steeringwheel 4 and is turned thereby as the steering wheel 4 is turned. In the assembly of the directional switch of Figure 1 having a tapered socket, and threaded into a tapped bore formed in a boss 50 of the lower housing half H. The pin 4| keys the upper housing Hi to the lower housing to prevent rotation therebetween about the screw 46, and pins 49 projecting upwardly from the lower housing aid in locating the upper housing on the lower housing.

The arm 40 has a slot 52 formed therein designed to permit the pin 33 of the switch 26 to slide relative to the lever 46 when the lever 40 is pivoted on the pin 4|.

An indicating lamp fi i ismounted in a socket 56 secured to the upper housing l8 by a bracket 51 under an opening closed by a lens 58 in the housing. When the pin 33 of the switch 26 is moved either to the left or the right, that is, to its uppermost position or its lowermost position from'its position shown in Fig. 2, the lamp 54 is lighted to indicate to a driver of a vehicle that.

the switch 26 is in an actuated condition. A conductor 59 connects the lamp 54 to the switch 26.

An L-shaped bracket *65 is mounted pivotally on the pin 4| but not keyed thereto, and is separated from the lever til by a corrugated washer 66. The bracket 65 has an elongated slot 61 accepts;

therein thnoughwhich the: actuatingrpinit: of the switch. 2.6, projects; The slot: 6! permits the bracket 65.to.-turn about the. pin4 I. without binding with the pin. 33', which moves the. bracket 65 with theslotted end of the lever. 40. Aleaf spring 10 having arms. TI. and. i2 is. riveted to. an up,- standing arm 7% of: the bracket 65... Thearms. H; and 1.2: are. provided with arcuate. latching. portions 1.5. and 16,. respectively, at the bases-thereof; which arcuateportionsextend througharcssome what. over 180. degrees. to: form locking detentsor sockets. The arcua-te. portions and 1 6 eachface the screw i6. When. the lever 46 is moved from. the. position in which it is shown in- Fig. 2 to the position in which it is. shown in Fig. 3, the latching portion 15 snaps over the screw 46 to hold. the actuating pin tiiland the lever ill: in the positions. in which they are shown. in Fig; 3

against the action of the return or centering spring 35. of the switch 2L Conversely, when the level: 4!! is swung in a counter-clockwise. direc-- tion. from the position: thereof shown in Fig. 2' to move. the pin 33 to its: upperswitch actuating position, the arcuate latching portion 16 snapsover the. pin. 4.6. to. hold the pin 33 and the lever 40. inthepositions they then. occupy.

With the. elements of the switching device in the positions. in which they are shown in Fig 3, whenthe steering wheel 20 is. rotated in such di rection. as to rotate. the wheel 21 in a counterclockwise direction, asv viewed in Fig. 3,. an upstanding lug ilflacarried.cccentrically on thewheel 2t is. revolved past the arm. it. Asthe lugis. so revolved, it engages the end of the arm H and flexes. the.- arm out of its: path. without loosening the latching. action of. thearcuate latching portion t5... However, when. the; steering wheel is turned. so as to turn the. wheel ill in a. clockwise direction, the lug: 80 catches. the end; of the arm H and flexes. the. arm H in a. direction such. that the. arcuate latching portion 1.51 is opened and the arcuate latching portion. 15 is. pushed off the screw 46. by: the combined. action of the lug 80; and the springepressed. actuating pin. 33. The. pin.33 thenpushes. the bracket. 65. and the lever 411 back to neutral. positions, in. which positions the ends of. the arms H and '52 are out of the path. of the lug 86.. The free. ends'ofthearms H. and T2 are out soas to be parallel. to the; lug 891 when the arm is. in positions. latchedto the screw 46. Hence, scoringof. the lug. 8i}. isprevented.

Operation When it is planned toturn the. vehicle tothe left, thelever 4c. is moved by the operator in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2,, to move the actuating pin 33 to a position connecting the left tail and parking lights of the vehicle to the. interrupter and the arcuate latching, portion is is snapped over the screw 46 to.

hold the pin 33 in this position. Then the operator makes the left turn by turning the steering. wheel in a counter-clockwise direction. This turns the wheel 2| in a clockwise direction, and thelug 80 moves past the end of the leaf spring arm i2 and merely fiexesthe arm 12 as it passes that arm without disturbing the latching function of the. latching portion 16.. The operator, after making the left turn revolves the steering wheel; 20 in a clockwise direction, which turns the wheel 2| and the lug 80 in a counter-clockwise direction. the-lug 80- engages the arm 7.2 itflexes; it in the direction opening the latching portion 16 to release the latching portion. 16. from the screw 56, and the spring-pressed.actuating. pi-n 6 33 moves the lever: 40;. the; bracket". &5 and: the; spring back to neutral; positions and; the: switch. 26 disconnects. the left taili and: parking. lights from. the flasher and; extinguishes; the: lamp 54:...

When. it; is. desired tcc make. a right. turn the operator swings. the lever M1 in. a counter-clock.- wise. direction, as viewedin Fig. 2.. to. move thepin 33 and the. springzlti to. thepositions thereof. shown in Fig. 3-rwiththe arcu'ate latching portion. 15: of the spring. arm M. snapped; over the: screw: 46... Whenthepin. 331s. in this position. thelswitch. 26. is: actuatedatot light.- thelamp. 5.4 andto connect. the right tailv and parking. lights to the... inter-:. rupter. andto. light; the indicator lamp:54.. Then. as the operator turns the steering wheel: in. a. clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2', thewlieel; 2i and: the 111g. 6B. are revolved; in counter-clockewise directions. and. the lug; 80 merely tlexesthe. spring arm 1.1. out. of. its path. After the-right turn hasbeenmade. the operator turns thesteering: wheel in a counter-clockwise direction. to straighten the. course of the vehicle and the wheel 2i and the lug. Bil are revolved. in. a clockwisedi rection. This moves the lug into. engagement. with the: spring arm l3 and flexes. the arcuate latching portion 7:5. to releasing. position. The. spring T6, the bracket 6-5, the. lever ill. and the. actuating pin. 33 are" returned. to neutral positions. This occurs. during. the. first revolution. of the lug 80.

The switch. of the present invention may be easily and quickly secured to conventional. steer ing columns. of automobiles. Thestrap arrangement for securing the. switch to. the steering column is simple and convenient and is usable; on steering columns of a very wide range of diameters and permits. shifting of the switch to: almost any position on the steering column. It also permits shifting of the switch housings. on.

- the bracket 8 towards. and from the steering col-.

upon, as may be necessary by reason oi the differences of sizesof the hubs 5 of steering columns. for different makes of automobiles. If necessary or desired the bracket 8. may be secured to. the

housing. I? in a. position. turned from that shown in Figural so that the arm: 9 of. the bracket. extends upwardly from the. base of the switch instead of downwardly- This may be necessary I in structures where there is limited space below the bottom of the hubt.

It is also; apparent from the. above description that the rotating wheel 25 always clears the spring arms: it and 5.2 when. thelever 4&- is inits central or neutral position. This reduces wear onthe moving parts.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure 10 which shows a modified construction. In this; construction the leaf spring H0 that corresponds to. the spring it? of Figure 1 is of substantially the same construction as that spring except that the arms Ill and N2 of the spring H6 are made slightly shorter than the corresponding arms. ll-J2 of the switch previously described;v so. that the arms: ii I'- and H2 are always: just short of the lug when they are in their respective positions closest to the orbit of the lug 80'. Secured to the spring arm i'l'l' is a leaf spring I15, a. similar. leaf spring I75: being secured to the arm 1'12. These leaf springs are secured. to the respective arms by rivets i ll close to the. latching portions. of those arms. The leaf springs lie on the inner faces of the respective leaf spring. arms Ill and H2 and project slightly beyond those arms so as to bring the outermost end ofthe-leaf spring I] 5. or H6, as the case may be, into the path of the lug 80 when the arm 40 has been moved to one or the other of its ultimate signaling positions. Thus, when the leaf arm 50 has been moved to the position illustrated in Figure 10 the leaf spring I15 is in the orbit of the release lug 80. If the wheel 2| is turning to turn the release lug 80 in a counter-clockwise direction, it will, during each revolution, engage the light spring I15 and flex it from the full line position of Figure 10 to the dotted line position of Figure 10. This requires very little force and produces very little noise and very little wear, since, as stated above, the leaf spring I15 is a very light spring. This action is repeated during each revolution of the wheel 2| in a counterclockwise direction, which is assumed to be the direction it will turn when the steering wheel is turned to initiate the desired turning of the automobile, indicated by the position of the lever arm 40. Upon reverse rotation of the wheel 2|, which takes place on initiation of the straightening of the steering wheel, the lug 86 will engage the leaf spring H5 and force it against the spring am Ill and thus move the spring arm ill to its restoring position, the same as previously described. Since the leaf spring projects beyond the arm IlI only a small amount, the arm III constitutes a backing for the leaf spring I15 when the leaf spring is flexed in its restoring position, but does not constitute a backing for the leaf spring when the leaf spring is flexed in the opposite direction.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure involves an additional change from that of Figure 2. This additional change consists essentially in that the screw 48 of Figure 1 has been replaced by a dowel pin IE6 that seats in a boss I50, corresponding to the boss 50 of Figure l, in the lower housing half Ill and at its upper end extends into a bore in a boss M! in the upper housing half, said boss I i'I corresponding to the boss 4? of Figure 1 except that the bore in the boss Ml does not extend through that boss. The dowel pin I46 performs the latching function of the screw 46 of the embodiment previously described. The lower housing half II! and the upper housing half IIB are secured together by a pair of screws I20 that extend through bosses I2I-I2I molded integral with the lower housing half and thread into tapped bores in corresponding bosses in the upper housing half, as illustrated in Figure 11. By this arrangement the screws for securing the two housing halves together have their heads on the lower, unexposed, side of the switch so that the upper side of the switch need not have a hole as is required for the screw 46 of Figure l. The indicating light 54 of Figure i may be pro vided in the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11, the same as in Figure l, or may, optionally, be omitted.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A directional signal actuating device comprising a switch having an element movable from a non-operating position to a direction signal operating position, manually operable means for moving said switch element to said operating position, means normally urging the switch element to said non-operating position. a leaf spring arm having an arcuate latching portion movable with the switch element-moving means, a pin so positioned that the arcuate latching portion of the arm snaps over it and latches the switch element in said operating position, means movable in one direction by movement of a vehicle steering element in one direction into momentary engagement with the arm so that the arm is flexed in a direction to tighten the latching portion on the pin and movable in a direction opposite to the first mentioned movement thereof by reverse movement of, the steering element for flexing the spring arm in the direction to release the arcuate latching portion from the pin.

2. A directional signal actuating device for an automobile, which comprises switching means for actuating a directional signal, manually operable means for actuating the switching means from a non-signalling position to a signalling position, means normally urging the switching means to the non-signalling position, a lug revolvable in one direction by movement of a steer ing element in one direction and revolvable in a direction opposite to the first-mentioned direction of revolution by movement of the steering element in a reverse direction, a stationary pin, a leaf spring arm having an arcuate latching portion movable with the switch-actuating means from a retracted position out of the path of the lug to a protected position in the path of the lug in which the arcuate latching portion snaps over the pin to latch the switch in signalling position, the lug flexing the arm so as to tighten the latching portion on the pin when the lug is moved in the first-mentioned direction and flexing the spring arm so as to release the arouate latching portion from the pin when the lug is moved in the opposite direction.

3. A directional signal actuating device comprising a pair of separable complementary housing portions having aligned sockets therein at one end of each and aligned bores spaced from the sockets, an actuating lever projecting into said ends of the housing portions, a pin in the sockets of the housing portions and mounting the actuating lever pivotally on the housing portions, a second pin extending into said bores in the housing portions, one of said housing portions having a shoulder formed thereon, a directional switch mounted on the shoulder formed on said housing portion and having an actuating projection movable by the lever, a bracket mounted pivotally on the first pin mounting the lever and pivotable by movement of the actuating arm of the switch, a pair of latching leaf spring arms carried by the bracket having arouate latching portions facing the second pin, each latching portion being movable to a position snapped onto the second pin, a Wheel designed to peripherally engage a steering element of a vehicle and movable by turning of the steering element, and a lug carried by the wheel for engaging either one of the arms that is snapped onto the second pin to flex the arcuate latching portion thereof sufficiently to release it from the second pin when the steering element is moved in a direction tending to straighten the course of the vehicle.

4. A directional signal actuating device comprising a pair of separable complementary housing portions having aligned sockets therein at one end of each and aligned bores spaced from the sockets, an actuating lever projecting into said ends of the housing portions, 9. pin in the i 9? sockets-bf the housing portions and mounting the actuating lever pivotal'ly on the housing portime, means comprising a screw'extending into said bores in the housing portions and securing the housing portions together, one of said housing portions having a shoulder formed thereon, a directional switch mounted on the shoulder formed on said housing portion and having an actuating projection movable by the lever, a bracket mounted pivotally on the pin mounting the lever and pivotable by movement of the actuating projection of the switch, a pair of latching leaf spring arms carried by the bracket and having arcuate latching portions facing the screw, eachlatching portion being movable to a position snapped onto the screw, a wheel designed to pcripherally engage a steering element of a vehicle and movable by turning of the steering element, and a lug carried by the wheel for engaging either one ofthe" arms that is snapped onto the screw to flex the arcuate latching portion thereof sufflciently torelease it from the screw when the steering element is moved in a direction tendin to straighten the course of the vehicle.

5. A directional signal actuator which comprises a housing, an actuating lever mounted pivotally' on the housing, a doublethrow directional switch mounted in the housing provided with an actuating element operable by one end of the lever, a pin mounted in the housing, a pair of leaf spring arms having arcuate latching portions facing the pin and selectively movable by the actuating element into positions snapped over the pin, means movable in one direction by the turning of a vehicle steering element in one direction along a path such as to merely flex one of the arms snapped over the pin and movable in the opposite direction along the path by opposite turning of the steering element to flex the arcuate latching portion of the arm suiiiciently to release the arm from the pin.

6. A directional signal actuator, which cornprises switching means having actuating means normally urged to neutral position movable in one direction to one operating position and movable in the opposite direction to a second operating position, manually operable means for moving said actuating means selectively to said operating positions, a latching pin mounted in a fixed position relative to said switch, a pair of bracketing the pin and movable in accordance 5 with movement of the actuating means for selectively moving the leaf spring arms into latching engagement with the pin, a rotatable wheel de signed to engage a steering element of a vehicle and be turned by the turning movement of the steering element, a lug projecting from the disc, and carried therewith, said lug and said leaf spring arms being in such positions relative to one another that the lug clears the ends of the arms when the switch actuating means is in new tral position and engages one of the arms when that arm is in latching engagement with the pin for flexing the arm in such a manner when moved in one direction past the end of the arm as to tighten the latching portion on the pin and for engaging the end of the arm to release the arouate latching portion of that arm from the pin inallyurge'd to neutral position and movable in one direction to one switch-operating position and in the opposite direction to a second switchoperating position, manually operable means for moving said actuator selectively to said switchoperating positions, a pin mounted in a fixed position relative to said switch, a pair of leaf spring arms having arcuate latching portions designed to snap over the pin to latch the arms to the pin, means movable with the actuator mounting the springs in positions bracketing the pin for selectively moving the leaf spring arms into latching engagement with the pin, means designed to engage a steering element of a vehicle and be moved by the turning movement, of the steering element in accordance with the direction of turning of the steering element along a path not intersecting the ends of the arms when the switch actuator is in neutral position and intersecting the latched one of the arms when that arm is in latching engagement with the pin for flexing that arm in such a manner when moved in one direction past the end of that arm as to tighten the latching portion on the pin, and for engaging the end of that arm to release the arcuate latching portion of that arm-from the pin when moved in the opposite direction.

8. A directional signal actuating device for a vehicle comprising a switch having an element movable from a non-operating position to a direction signal operating position, a manually operable lever for moving said switch element to said operating position, an arm movable with said lever, a stationary pin located in the path of move ment of said arm to stop the movement thereof when said switch element is in the direction signal operating position, a wheel located for peripheral engagement with the steering element of a vehicle and movable by the turning of the steering element and means on said wheel movable therewith upon the movement of the vehicle steering element in a direction tending to straighten the path of motion thereof after having turned as indicated in a direction to abut and move said arm away from said pin and into a position where said lever and switch elements are in said non-operating position.

9. A directional signal actuating device for a vehicle comprising a switch having an element movable from a non-operating position to a direction signal operating position, a manually operabl lever for moving said switch element to said operating position, a stationary pin located in the path of motion of a portion of said lever to limit the movement thereof to a position where said switch element is in said signal operating position, a wheel. located for peripheral engagement with the steering element of a vehicle and movable by the turning of the steering element, a lug on said wheel and movable therewith in one direction by any movement of the vehicle steering element in a direction to turn the vehicle and movable in a direction opposite to the firstmentioned direction by any movement of the vehicle steering element in a direction to straighten the vehicle after turning, said lug positioned to move said lever away from said stationary pin and into the non-operating position when said lever is in the signal operating position and said lug is moved in said opposite direction, said lever being immovable by movement of said lug when the lever is in a non-operating position.

10. A directional signal actuating device for a vehicle comprising a three-position switching means for actuating a direction signal indicator which is to indicate a right or left turn, the center position of said switch means for indicating no turn, and the extreme positions of said switch means for indicating right and left turns respectively, a lever pivoted about a generally vertical axis, which is to be displaced from the axis of rotation of the vehicle steering element with which it is to be associated, and connected to said switch means for moving same into said switch positions, switch release means movable with the steering element of a vehicle in a direction depending on the direction of rotation of the vehicle steering element, and in a plane having a component at right angles to said lever pivot axis, an abutment located between said lever pivot axis and the path of movement of saidswitch release means, a pair of arm members extending on opposite sides of said abutment and connected for movement with said lever about the pivot axis thereof and adapted to be locked by said abutment and lock said lever and switch from further motion when said lever has positioned said switch means respectively to said extreme positions, one of said arms having an extension which is adapted to extend into the path of motion of said switch release means only when said lever has been pivoted to one of its extreme positions, thereby being urged toward said abutment by said switch release means in one direction of rotation of the vehicle steering element, and being urged away from said abutment when the vehicle steering element is rotated in the opposite direction to move said lever and switch means into its no-turn central position, the other of said arms having an extension which is adapted to extend into the path of motion of said switch release means only when said lever has been pivoted to its other extreme position, thereby being urged toward said abutment by said switch re lease means when the vehicle steering element is rotated in said last mentioned direction and being urged away from said abutment when the vehicle steering wheel is rotated in the opposite direction to move the lever and switch means into its no-turn central position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,465,596 Collins Aug. 21, 1923 2,362,689 Eshbaugh Nov. 14, 1944 2,427,595 Fuller Sept. 16, 1947 2,596,858 Lapidus May 13, 1952 2,597,078 Drury et al May 20, 1952 

